After living in Bali for three and a half years when I first started Amore & Sorvete, it really became a home away from home. Although I still travel two or three times a year for manufacturing, I’m always amazed at how many new stores, restaurants, cafes, bars and even hotels pop up in my time away. It means every time I return, there is something new to discover.

I always try to break my trip into two parts to get the best of both worlds. I stay in Seminyak for a few days to eat, drink and catch up with friends and then escape to Nusa Dua, Ubud or even one of the other islands for some R&R. This trip I was in Seminyak for two nights and Nusa Dua for three nights. Please keep in mind this was only a short trip for me and I definitely recommend you stay in Seminyak longer if you’ve never been.

For those of you who have never been to Bali, Seminyak is situated on the beach (not the best swimming beach) but also known for its shopping, restaurants and nightlife. I always look forward to Seminyak mainly to enjoy the affordable yet high quality food. Though traditional Indonesian food is usually at the top of everyone’s list, Seminyak has such a wide variety of international food. Please refer to my list below of must eats.

If you’re unsure of where to stay in Bali, my personal preference is always at a resort or villa over a large hotel. This time I had the pleasure of staying in a beautiful villa in Seminyak, Villa Iris. There are two 2-bedroom villas and one 3-bedroom villa with the total of 7 bedrooms suitable for a group of up to 14 guests. This is great if you’re travelling with a group and want to be close to each other, but still have some time to yourselves.

Villa Iris is located just off the main shopping strip of Seminyak. Only a short walk or a $2 taxi ride into the famous ‘eats street’, which is best as it can get a little noisy if you’re on the main strip.

The bedrooms, each with their own bathroom, surround the outside pool area. This connects to the indoor/outdoor dining and living area with the self-contained kitchen. This is ideal for a family needing a bit of room for the kids to run around. Although we weren’t travelling as a family, the space and the beautiful gardens are perfect for morning yoga. Iris is right across the road from the daily fruit markets, making it super easy to make your own fruit salad in the mornings.

Although the reception of Iris is off a fairly busy road, the villas are located down a laneway also known as a ‘Gang’ meaning you can’t hear any cars or scooters from your private villa. So while it’s easy to hail a cab up the top of the gang, you also enjoy the serenity with some peace and quiet in your own luxury villa.

I would have to say that I felt very comfortable, safe and relaxed staying at Villa Iris. The rooms were clean, well kept and had a beautiful authentic Bali feel about it. The owners of the villa are extremely helpful, friendly and easy to deal with. I will definitely be coming back here on my next say in Seminyak.

After four days of eating, shopping and relaxing by the pool in Seminyak, I was excited to go discover a new location. Nusa Dua is about a 40-minute drive from Seminyak. It’s known for the beautiful resorts, white sand beaches and relaxing vibes.

I love discovering different resorts and villas when I visit Bali. On this particular trip my fiancé and I wanted to try somewhere more romantic and relaxing, which is just what we got at Awarta Villas & Spa.

A luxury car collected us from our villa in Seminyak to take us to the resort. When we pulled up the extremely friendly staff opened our car doors, took our bags then checked us in. We soon discovered that Awarta was a traditional Chinese resort.

Our 24-hour service butler gave us a tour of the resort and our private villa. Before we were allowed to step foot into our room we were informed it was tradition for us to receive a Chinese foot massage to wash away any bad energy before entering our little sanctuary.

All of a sudden we felt at ease, relaxed and excited for the next three nights of pure heaven. The villa was a beautiful wooden Chinese-Balinese style, yet it was clear it had been newly refurbished as everything was in great condition. Our one-bedroom was of great size with a large walk in en suite, indoor and outdoor shower, a spa and an outdoor pool that surrounded the garden.

On the first night we enjoyed a set menu at the Yi fine dining Chinese restaurant at the resort. The restaurant was quiet, the service was impeccable and the traditional food was exquisite. Breakfast was included in our stay so of course we tried almost everything on the menu. The variety on offer was insane; big breakfast, porridge, fruit platter, pancakes, pastries and muesli just to name a few. The food was so beautiful on our stay we didn’t have to leave the resort once.

The next thing on our list was the Peranakan Heritage treatment for 2.5 hours at the Awarta Spa. This consisted of a massage, spa and facial. If you’re looking for a romantic week away with your partner or even a girl’s weekend of pampering and relaxing this is honestly the place to be. The spa was magical, very luxurious, I felt very well looked after, clean and relaxed. It was a beautiful Chinese inspired therapeutic treatment. I walked out of there feeling as if I was walking on clouds. Even just writing this I close my eyes and wish I were there.

All in all we felt extremely fortunate to have stayed at Awarta Villas & Spa, the staff would bend over backwards for you, they always greeted you with a smile, always offering to help you with your bags and being of assistance. On our last day the manager came and introduced him self to us, asking how our stay was and we had a little chat. It’s always the personal touches that get me when staff go above and beyond and that’s what makes me feel so lucky to be able to have the job that I have where I get to encounter such beautiful people on my travels around the world.